Trucking Industry

New Study Finds Proper Training Keeps Young Truckers Working as Safely as Experienced Drivers

September 24, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Following a reported truck driver shortage of 60,000 drivers at the end of 2018 and a two-year delay of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s entry-level driver training rule, the industry is hoping better training and mentoring will help younger truckers to fill the gap as older truck drivers continue to retire.

“We have challenges coming our way in the next decade, such as a greater problem with current drivers retiring,” said FMCSA Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee member and senior vice president of safety, security, and driver personnel at J.B. Hunt Transport, Greer Woodruff. The Safety Advisory Committee recently commissioned the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute to analyze correlations between age and safety among truckers. According to said study, there is “no safety-based reason not to use younger drivers when structured training, mentoring, and coaching systems are in place.”

The data, which was pretended to MCSAC in mid-July, included information from more than 9,000 truckers between the ages of 21 and 64, and found that a greater driver safety impact is found with driving experience as opposed to age. MCSAC is a panel of 18 people that aims to provide recommendations to FMCSA’s administrator on motor carrier safety programs and motor carrier safety regulations.

“What we found was experience seemed to be a bigger factor on driving risk,” said Susan Soccolich of VTTI, who conducted research for the study. “If there is a notion that 21-to-24-year-olds might be a high-risk group, we don’t feel that our study found that relationship.”

The research committee was asked to look into the older demographics of the professional driver workforce within trucking and bus industries, and to find whether or not this trend will “exacerbate the driver shortage problem.”

Last year, American Trucking Associations reported that 60,000 truckers were needed by the end of 2018, making for the largest driver shortage ever for the country.

“Over the past 15 years, we’ve watched the shortage rise and fall with economic trends, but it ballooned last year to the highest level we’ve seen to date,” said Chief Economist for ATA, Bob Costello, at the time.

The report said the trucking industry would work to hire at least 1.1 million new truckers by 2029, with an average of 110,000 per year.

To help with onboarding difficulties, the FMCSA delayed a long-awaited Entry Level Driver Training rule until February 2022. This rule was meant to ensure new truckers would meet minimum training requirements before being allowed their commercial driver licenses.

“This action will provide FMCSA additional time to complete development of the Training Provider Registry,” said the agency in late January. “The TPR will allow training providers to self-certify that they meet the training requirements and will provide the electronic interface that will receive and store entry-level driver training certification information from training providers and transmit that information to the state driver licensing agencies.”

FMCSA stakeholders have continually expressed their concern regarding the shortage, and have discussed options to allow younger drivers to enter the trucking workforce. With many commercial motor vehicle driver retirements coming up quickly, carriers are looking for younger, long-term truck drivers to become their replacements.

ATA’s study explored safety performance of differently-aged drivers with similar experience levels, and also compared drivers with different levels of experience within the same age groups.

Additionally, the study assessed safety performance through Motor Carrier Management Information System crash involvement and moving violation involvement, along with carrier-recorded crash involvement.

Some of the major issues explored by MCSAC were how aging workers could affect a carrier’s ability to efficiently deliver goods safely, the impact of older drivers on supply chains, what the workforce looks like for the future, how the impacts of aging workforces can be mitigated, and the role FMCSA plays in these efforts of change.

Although VTTI’s research showed younger drivers could match older drivers’ safety performances, many panel members disagreed.

Gary Catapano, committee member and employee of the National School Transportation Association, said that those believing VTTI’s research could be easily persuaded to trust it for guidance. “The research should be used with a high degree of caution,” he warned.

Committee member and vice president of Clark Freight Lines Inc., Danny Schnautz, agreed. “We see a correlation between maturity and experience being the safer driver,” he said. “Typically, maturity comes with age.”

ATA Reports 3% Increase in Year-Over-Year Freight

September 23, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

According to ATA American Trucking Trends 2020, the agency’s annual data compendium, the industry moved 11.84 billion tons of freight in 2019. This number is a year-over-year increase of 3% from the previous year’s 11.49 tons.

However, yearly revenue figures dropped slightly to $791.7 billion from $797.7 billion in 2018.

“Despite a challenging year, the data contained in American Trucking Trends shows the industry was in good shape entering the global pandemic,” said Bob Costello, ATA Chief Economist.

Trucking revenue comprised 80.4% of the country’s 2019 freight bill, up 0.12% from its 80.3% percentage of 2018. This means that for every dollar spent on freight transport, the industry made 80.4 cents.

Tonnage and revenue numbers both included truckload and less-than-truckload, as well as private carriage companies.

However, earlier this year, ATA reported that its seasonally-adjusted (SA) For-Hire Trucking Tonnage Index increased by 3.3% throughout the entirety of 2019, which was half of 2018’s annual gain. In December of 2019, the advances SA For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose 4% in December after having fallen by 3.4% the month prior.

“Last year was not a terrible year for for-hire truck tonnage, and despite the increase at the end of the year, 2019 was very uneven for the industry,” said Costello. “The overall annual gain masks the very choppy freight environment throughout the year, which made the market feel worse for many fleets. In December, strong housing starts helped advance the index forward.”

Additionally, ATA”s tonnage data is dominated by contract freight.

The change in tonnage hauled by fleets before any seasonal adjustments came out to 112.7 in December, which was 2% under November’s level of 115.1. To calculate the index, 100 represents 2015.

Acting as a barometer of America’s economy, trucking represents 70.2% of tonnage carried by all domestic freight transport, including both retail and manufactured goods.

To calculate tonnage index, ATA has been analyzing surveys from its members since the 1970s. Around the 5th day of each month, preliminary figures are released and are subject to change within the final report. This report details month-to-month and year-over-year results, as well as important economic comparisons and financial indicators for the industry and the economy as a whole.

The Trucking Trends 2020 report also shows the effects of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement and the benefits of cross-border trucking.

For example, trucks moved 67.7% of surface freight between Canada and the U.S. and 83.1% of cross-border trade with Mexico in 2019. This came out to $772 billion worth of goods across borders. Specifically, $343 billion in freight was moved across the U.S.-Canada border, which is a 1.5% year-over-year decrease from 2018. On the other hand, freight movement from across the Mexico border rose 1.2% year-over-year, coming out to $429 billion.

The top four items imported and exported across these borders were vehicles, mineral fuels, electrical machinery, and traditional machinery, according to the U.S. Trade Representative’s office. On average, about 16,000 trucks enter the United States from its bordering countries each day.

“As the North American economies become more interrelated, as well as global, trucking’s importance in international trade will only continue to grow,” the report said.

In 2019, 7.95 million Americans were employed throughout the trucking industry, a number up by 140,000 from 2018. Out of last year’s 3.6 million professional drivers, 41.5% were minorities, and 6.7% were women. A majority of carriers are on the smaller side, with 91.3% of fleets only operating six or fewer trucks, and 97.4% operating 20 or fewer.

“Sound policy relies on sound data, and American Trucking Trends contains the kind of up-to-date, reliable data that policymakers need to their [jobs],” said ATA President Chris Spear. “That is why Trends consistently is found in the offices of elected officials, regulators, and industry executives across the country.”

The Trends report has been extremely important for industry suppliers, trucking companies, logistics providers, public policy decision makers, and analysts.

“Trends continues to be an indispensable, one-stop resource for decision makers to have the latest information about the state of the trucking industry,” said Costello.

Daimler and Navistar Both Issue Safety Recalls

September 22, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Daimler Trucks North America is currently recalling around 183,000 Freightliner Cascadia tractors from the model years between 2017 and 2021 throughout the United States and Canada.

This recall comes after findings of antilock brake component corrosion that causes the truck to pull to one side, which could result in uneven braking on the front axle, a sudden change in vehicle direction, and a potential crash.

The truck-maker said this brake modulator valve, which is supplied by Wabco USA, could often have chemical corrosion which would slow release timing. Because of this, DTNA recently notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of its intent to recall 164,317 of its best-selling models in America and 18,664 in Canada.

“Typically, the dealer is reimbursed [for replacing the component] and maintains the paper trail necessary for regulatory compliance,” said American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council technical director, Jack Legler.

In 2019, NHTSA administered 900 safety recalls that affected more than 39 million vehicles. As truck manufacturers more closely adhere to agency guidelines and focus on the agency’s efforts in safety improvements, more voluntary safety recalls occur.

This current recall is expected to begin on August 30th. Initial safety recall reports were released on July 2nd, with the NHTSA recall number listed as 20V-390 and Transport Canada’s as 2020305.

“A slow release of the brake on one side during an active brake request (automatic braking event) could lead to a brake pull resulting in a sudden change in vehicle direction due to uneven braking on the front axle, increasing the risk of a motor vehicle crash,” said DTNA.

The company also cited automatic emergency braking, forward collision avoidance, and electronic stability control as aspects of the truck that could be affected by the defect. Dealers will be able to perform free repairs for owners of the affected models, and repairs will take place at DTNA-authorized service facilities.

Still, DTNA says this recall comes from “an abundance of caution” after eight different failure claims in the field since May of 2019. Additionally valves have been under review since early July, and DTNA said the issue “appeared to be” systemic.

These trucks were produced from March 9th, 2016 to June 25th, 2020, and DTNA first learned of the issue in May of 2019. Since then, it has been working with Wabco to find the cause–which was settled on being inlet solenoid blockage caused by magnesium chloride corrosion deforming the O-ring. After analysis of 34 valves, the companies found failed valves on the right side.

No crashes or injuries have been reported due to the defect, and DTNA estimates that only 1% of vehicles included in the recall will have any effects from the issue.

Additionally, Navistar initiated a safety recall on July 8th regarding worries that the engine-connecting rod’s wrist pin bushing could fail in some International LT trucks from between 2018 and 2020 and in some International RH trucks with A26 engines.

On September 13th of last year, Navistar was alerted of a report on some issues in the field with fleets noticing five different A26 engine-connecting rod failures over the course of two months. During an internal investigation, connecting rod failure was found to potentially lead to engine shutdown and dangerous crashes. Navistar reported to NHTSA that the number of possible affected trucks is 4,499.

“[The repair involves] programming the ECM [engine control model],” said Navistar. “This new engine calibration will provide an electronic detection system that will alert the driver if the engine is starting to have a connecting rod failure. The driver will be alerted by the illumination of the red stop lamp in the cluster and a fault code will be displayed.”

Navistar’s vice president of product marketing, Steve Gilligan, says that solving this issue as efficiently as possible is the company’s priority.

“For the fleets, they just want to avoid having the downtime,” he explained. “So, they want to know when we pull them off the road, especially if it is not a mission-disabling failure, that they will get in and out really quick.”

The recall began in early July and remedies are still in development. Navistar’s recall number for this issue is 20504.

Supply Chain Workers Form Task Force to Increase Social Distancing During Delivery

September 21, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Recently, a group of supply chain partners, retailers, and manufacturers came together to create a task force that would outline standards needed in order to reduce person-to-person contact when freight is moved from Class 8 vehicles to last-mile drop-offs.

The Contactless Delivery Task Force, launched by the Consumer Brands Association, has developed protocols for safer and smoother delivery processes for everyone involved.

“Everyone is very concerned about ‘How do we keep our employees safe, how do we keep things moving efficiently in a high-demand environment?’” said Consumer Brands Association vice president of supply chains, Tom Madrecki. “But, that issue of safety continues to percolate and continues to be very relevant.”

The group’s primary focus will be electronic bills of lading (eBOL), which bring the benefits of digitizing typically paper-based processes for further efficiency and data accuracy, as well as health and safety improvements (by reducing the need for human contact).

“As shippers continue to build more efficient and resilient supply chains, the eBOL fills in a gap that many clients have been asking for,” said Accenture’s supply chain and operations practice senior manager, Henry Blum. “The touchless BOL will result in entry error reduction, increased visibility to OS&Ds, drive lower transportation costs, and benefit their green footprint.”

EBOLs will help the industry move away from paper documentation and forward into the age of online dashboards, virtual booking, instant quotes, and data analytics. These methods are becoming much more present throughout the industry as shippers more regularly prefer real-time updates and information. Trucking industry carriers have been adopting the technology more rapidly than ever.

Additionally, as more industry workers have been working from home due to COVID-19, the demand for quickly-available electronic information has skyrocketed, and the transition to eBOL has allowed shippers to give faster and more efficient insight into the operations and logistics of their warehouses from their remote locations. For jobs that cannot be done from home, an eBOL allows for easier social distancing as files and documents no longer need to be exchanged in person.

“As CPG companies identify ways to increase supply chain efficiencies and ensure employee safety, electronic delivery verification through a contactless pick-up and delivery process is a natural solution,” said Madrecki.

The task force plans to make contactless delivery and pickup protocol much easier while maintaining and increasing system efficiency and employee safety. Since its launch, the task force has grown to include 25 consumer packaged goods retailers and companies.

“We’re really looking at ‘How do we reduce human interaction so that we can continue to facilitate the movement of goods and services?’” Madrecki explained. “A lot of companies raised the need for contactless deliveries mechanisms or tools.”

One company on the task force is Land O’Lakes, Inc., which hopes to be part of a major change for the progress of supply chains.

“While a major disruptor, COVID-19 now gives us the opportunity to partner across our industry and develop the processes and procedures that will define the consumer packaged goods space for years to come,” said Land O’Lakes senior vice president and chief supply chain officer, Yone Dewberry. “Health, safety, and efficiency have always been our priorities, but now we’re forced to look for new and innovative ways of incorporating technology even further.”

Virtualization is key for the task force, and those that are part of the effort have found a solution to keeping supply chains moving efficiently has been electronic delivery verification. Because of this, eBOL processes are a logical next step.

“We specifically looked at that as the first bite of the apple when it comes to contactless deliveries and how do we remove paperwork and the physical process from deliveries,” said Madrecki. “But, there are clearly other applications.”

If a company is able to implement an eBOL system, it would also be able to put in place other related solutions for different situations, as many aspects of a trucking business involve electronic information transfers.

“If we can work in a concerted way to provide a workable standard for that, then there are clearly other applications to other parts of the delivery ecosystem,” said Madrecki. “It can definitely open up into a lot of different directions.”

Sleep Apnea Found to Have Contributed to Fatal Crash, Continues to be Major Trucking Safety Concern

September 16, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Illinois — After a fatal multi-vehicle crash took place on Interstate 290 in Elmhurst, Illinois in 2018, it was found that some of the circumstances were three of the 10 issues on the National Transportation Safety Board’s Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements for 2020–one being untreated obstructive sleep apnea.

On March 1st, 2018, a commercial truck-tractor and a semitrailer traveling along I-290 in Elmhurst hit a vehicle that had slowed due to traffic congestion. A chain of crashes occurred after the initial rear-end collision, which included two additional large trucks and three more automobiles. Five people were injured as a result of the seven-vehicle accident, and one was killed.

Three primary safety issues were identified by investigators: fatigue, the lack of a collision avoidance system, and medical fitness for duty. All three of these concerns are on the NTSB’s Most Wanted List.

“This crash tragically highlights the urgent need to implement the safety recommendations association with our Most Wanted List,” said Robert L. Sumwalt, NTSB chairman. “Had our safety recommendations in these areas been implemented, this crash may well have been prevented.”

The NTSB concluded that the lack of a “robust medical certification evaluation process” at a federal level to identify and treat commercial drivers for obstructive sleep apnea was one of the largest issues contributing to the fatal crash.

Investigators found that the trucker who failed to slow down in time for the traffic congestion was “likely fatigued due to an untreated sleep disorder related to obstructive sleep apnea.”

This commercial truck driver had been diagnosed with sleep apnea in 2012 after undergoing a sleep lab test following a previous hospitalization. After speaking with NTSB investigators, the trucker admitted to failing to use his continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device for obstructive sleep apnea treatment since his hospitalization. CPAP devices can send reports to a physician via Bluetooth when used.

The NTSB’s Most Wanted List details 10 areas of concern that act as the agency’s guidelines for immediate, necessary recommendations for action, that if put in place, would have the potential to prevent crashes and fatal accidents.

In 2009, the NTSB recommended to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that a program should be implemented that would identify and help treat commercial drivers with OSA. This concern remains on the Most Wanted List, along with other sleep apnea-related issues.

The NTSB also recommended that forward collision avoidance systems be standardized and installed in all new commercial and passenger vehicles in its 2015 special investigation report. These recommendations are still listed as some of NTSB’s Most Wanted.

“With our Most Wanted List, the NTSB has pointed the way to safer roads, rails, seas, and skies,” said Sumwalt. “But, to make that vision a reality, the recipients of our safety recommendations need to implement them.”

An FMCSA spokesman said that the agency believes “all commercial driver’s license driver medical screening examinations should be robustly performed by medical examiners.”

But, without regulated standards for these tests, the identification and treatment responsibility for obstructive sleep apnea in a driver falls on the shoulders of the medical examiner, said FMCSA medical review board member Brian Morris.

“There are some medical examiners that are quite diligent in performing the exams, and they would do the appropriate screening for sleep apnea,” said Morris. “Other medical examiners don’t focus as much on the issue.”

Still, even if sleep apnea is identified, many physicians won’t ask for a follow-up or require treatment like the CPAP, Morris explained. If untreated, the risk for sleep apnea-related issues is much higher than that of drivers at a low-risk stage.

“Right now, American Trucking Associations definitely recognizes that sleep apnea is a safety concern,” said ATA manager of safety and occupational health policy, Abigail Potter. “There is a lot of data and evidence to that effect.”

While ATA acknowledges the issue as well as FMCSA’s long-term work studying the risks at hand, ATA still says it wants FMCSA to prioritize the consideration of all cost-benefit issues before implementing a new rule, according to Potter.

“The bar for commercial drivers to get medically evaluated and certified has been raised by FMCSA over the last few years,” said Scopelitis Transportation Consulting president, David Osiecki. “Ultimately, the trucking industry and highway safety will be better served by clear guidelines that allow drivers and safety management personnel to anticipate and better plan for the medical evaluation-certification process.”

Many Fleets Rushing to Install Helpful Technology During Pandemic Challenges

September 15, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Although many companies within the trucking industry have been hit hard financially during the COVID-19 crisis, many have gained much clearer insight into the necessity of high-quality and innovative technology in regards to their day-to-day operations.

Throughout the pandemic, technology investments have varied based on American fleets’ freight sectors, as well as their need to keep employees working from home and adhere to their drivers’ necessary safety precautions.

For example, for Paper Transport, a company with a fleet of 900 tractors and 3,000 van trailers, COVID-19 “has accelerated our ongoing investment” in technology, according to the company’s organizational development manager, Julie Decker.

“Our corporate office staff has been remote since March. We expect much of our workforce to remain remote through summer.” Decker also said that Paper Tranport’s truck-based tablets have allowed for these changes to be as seamless as possible for its employees.

The company, which operates across multiple freight segments–with paper products being a major one–saw its freight voluming skyrocketing during the pandemic, as well.

“Toilet paper during panic buying was crazier than you would ever imagine,” said Decker. Because of this, Paper Transport accelerated its tech implementation, with help from Trimble Transportation.

“We have been active, early adopters of a few new software solutions provided by Trimble since last year, and each of those has launched in production during the pandemic.”

Ozark Motor Lines in Memphis had been working on implementing video telematics systems in all of its tractors since January, and is planning to continue the endeavor despite any financial setbacks. The company is installing Lytx units in 750 tractors, according to Ozark’s vice president of safety, Patrick Landreth.

Now, instead of needing to wait for drivers to be routed to an Ozark Motor Lines destination to receive safety coaching, the company can send a recording of an on-road event to the driver and then connect with the driver for coaching and counseling.

“When you consider the social distancing guidelines with the pandemic, that remote coaching is huge,” said Landreth.

Lytx’s vice president, Rob Abbott, reiterated the present need for telematics systems, saying for many carriers, this pandemic has “accelerated and exacerbated” the overall necessity.

“We’ve seen fleets accelerate implementation without first conducting a long test,” and relying heavily on other industry businesses’ recommendations, Abbott explained. Extensive testing for these technological systems was a typical precaution before the pandemic.

When Lytx visited Ozark Motor Lines to install units along with the carrier’s technicians, they realized the installation process would be similar across different model years.

“Our mechanics took it and ran,” said Landreth. “They have been getting multiple trucks done per week. We don’t think we’re going to have any trouble hitting our target date.”

This project also includes system installation on around 60 owner-operator trucks, with the vendor implementing units onto independent operators’ tractors of all makes and models.

For installers, drivers, and fleet workers, the majority of training must be virtual now, Abbott said. “Whereas before, we might prefer an in-person session with a group.” Lytx utilizes methods of training within web meetings, online teaching modules, and video training.

Many areas of the trucking industry have seen such a rise in demand that quick technology implementation is a must.

“The supermarkets are seeing a huge boom,” said Jonathan Bates, MiX Telematics‘ head of global marketing. “They’re having to lay on more drivers, more vehicles, more routes, and they need the visibility that telematics provides more than ever because the pressure is higher.”

Still, though, when the industry has seen slowdowns in the past, the effects have been different, said CEO of McLeod Software, Tom McLeod. He said this particular economic shutdown has shown trucking businesses where they need to be “more nimble and more able to withstand” any disruption.

“During an economic downturn, the larger companies tend to move ahead with their projects, because they’ve got a little more time to implement new systems.” he explained. For mid-market carriers, those businesses “tend to put the brakes on and wait to see when the economy’s going to pick up.”

McLeod has seen a huge boost in demand throughout the pandemic, and said other companies have also been “making a decision on much shorter time frames in order to address the need that’s been made obvious.”

He warned, though, that expediting automated business technology is not always wise.

“Sometimes I say, ‘With a computer, if you get in a hurry, it’s going to take longer,’” he explained. McLeod’s trucking software has “a very orderly and methodical process that we stick to because if you start trying to take shortcuts and skip steps, then sometimes you have a situation that needs to be cleaned up later.”